In compliance with the cabinet decision of March 8, land resource department (LRD) plans to develop coffee over 300 hectare of land within 100 days by distributing coffee seedlings. This was announced by land resource, transport, civil aviation and railways minister P Paiwang Konyak while formally distributing coffee seedlings at LRD conference hall here on Monday.
Addressing a brief meeting on the occasion, the minister asserted that the mission was an achievable target. He said coffee was once considered a failed crop, before the efforts put in by officials and staff of the department changed the situation for the better.
He said cultivation of rubber, tea and cardamom could be spread rapidly, but coffee as a crop required scientific assistance.
The minister said the LRD had targeted coffee, rubber roller and construction of spring-sheds and added that the project was meant to improve the economy.
Stating that the spring-sheds would be constructed both for domestic use and for farmers, he added that it was the bounden duty of the department to take care of people in rural areas.
In his brief address, secretary Kikheto Sema said about five lakh Arabica and Robusta coffee seedlings would be distributed in all the districts. He said the State government had allocated Rs 4 crore for coffee plantation in 2018-19.
Announcing that the department would distribute rubber rollers to rubber growers in Wokha, Mokokchung, Dimapur and Peren, Sema added that the department intended to develop rubber in 50,000 hectares by 2027 and that the current activity was a step forward to achieve the target.
He said with market linkage being set up, there was no reason now to make coffee a failed crop.
The secretary said the ultimate objective of the department was to improve economy of the rural people by creating employment opportunities for the unemployed youth.
Speaking on the occasion, land resource director Hoto Yeptho said 5,75,000 Arabica coffee seedlings and 60,000 Robusta coffee seedlings would be distributed to the farmers for plantation within 100 days.
He added that the department had developed more than 16,000 hectares of rubber cultivation where about 16 lakh trees were tapped in Mokokchung, Wokha, Dimapur, Peren, Longleng and Mon districts.
Yeptho said post harvest support was being provided to the farmers by the department, which also planned to provide 200 rubber rollers to the rubber growing farmers within 100 days.
The director said the department would take up inventorisation of 100 springs in two village clusters – Khrimitimi in Zunheboto district and Chizami in Phek district – within 100 days.
Earlier, the minister formally launched the programme by planting coffee sapling at the directorate premises.